Device for stretching wire fencing.



PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905. L. G. BARTLETT. DEVICE FOR STRETGHING WIREFENCING.

APPLIOATIOH FILED APR. 8, 1805'.

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m/z/ ZZZ/M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEON G. BARTLETT, OF WILBRAHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed April 8, 1905. Serial No. 254,467.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

' description.

This invention relates to improvements in devices or implements for theespecial employment of bringing open-work wire-fencing fabric in a tautor stretched condition to the fence-posts or other structure to whichthe fencing is to be secured by proper fastenings, and has for itsobject the production of a stretching device for the fencing which is ofsuch construction and includes such components as rendersitstructurallyof thesimplest possible character and susceptible of utilization withthe utmost convenience.

The invention consists, in a device for the purpose specified, of a baror comparatively long head member adapted to engage verti callyalongside a fence-post or other structure to constitute a support forfencing and to which the fencing is to be fastened, havingwire-fence-engaging means and having means for imparting afence-stretching movement to said bar relatively to the post.

, The invention furthermore consists in certain subordinate features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts,all substantially as hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing astretcher for wire fencing in its simplest form of construction andindicating its manner of use. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional and plan viewas taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is apartial inner side view,with a portion in section, of the device having additional elementshereinafter referred to. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view as seen on andbelow the plane of line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an edge view of theentire device constructed with the additional parts individuallyrepresented in Figs. 3 and 4.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all ofthe views.

In the drawings, A represents one of the posts for a line of wirefencing, B representing such fencing, andC represents thefencestretching device. This device, as shown in Figs. 1. and 2,comprises the head or bar a, engaging means 6 for the wire fencing, anda pair of levers (Z (Z, which constitute means for imparting thefence-stretching movement to the device 0 relatively to the post.

In practice the head bar a is made of wood, having a length as wide orwider than the width of the open-Work fencing fabric B, and hasa seriesof rigidly engaged or interlocked pins, to which the reference-letter trefers, projecting from one edge or corner of the head-bar, as shown,and more or less nearly diagonal to the bar.

The levers cl (Z are securely and rigidly fastened at one side of thehead-bar by the bolt 6, their locations or arrangements being toward theupper and lower ends of the headbar, and their extensions therefrom arehori- Zontal and in parallelism.

In use the head-bar may by a corner or prominent portion thereof have abearing against and alongside the post and by the teeth an engagementthrough the mesh of the fencing, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, andthe thus-engaged parts may by a swinging of the levers (one of which maybe by a handpressure and the other by the leg) draw forwardly and strainthe wire to bring it in a taut condition to be fastened at the post bystaples or otherwise. After the device has been swung to draw up thefencing more or less on the fulcrum-line, as represented by the fulllines in Fig. 2, the head-bar may be given a backward step or hitchingmovement for a new bearing to the rearward of that first acquired and asrepresented in dotted lines in Fig. 2, these actions being incidental toand possible under the use of the device constituted as shown.

In some cases and for some uses the fencestretching device isconstructed with the inclusion of a pair of transversely-projectingmembers f f, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, for constituting fulcrums offsetfrom one side of the bar and for bearings against the post, thesemembers more or less penetrating the post by their pointed ends. Thescrew members f transversely penetrate the head-bar at locationsrelatively to each other, as represented in Fig. 5, and as a practical,simplitied, and advantageous means for making the screw engagementbetween each threaded rod, constituting an offset fulcrum member, asaforementioned, and the head-bar, the same consisting in anchoring orengaging a nut g in a niche or recess 7L therefor within the thicknessof the head-bar and having an intermediate portion of the threaded rod fscrew-engaging through said fixed nut and passing loosely through theperforation in the head-bar.

The screw members f have crank-shaped ends f by means of which they maybe readily turned to distend or withdraw the fulcrum extremities of themembers f relatively to the side of the head-bar.

As manifest, the screw-threaded members f may be separately turned toindividually adjust the fulcra, it being possible to have one extendedconsiderably farther from the bar than the other, as occasion mayrequireas, for instance, when the posts are tapered or when thefulcrum-bearings afforded at different heights thereon are not in thesame vertical line or when there may be more slack at the top course ofthe fencing than at the bottom, or vice versa.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the character described, consisting of a head-bar havinga length as great as the width of the wire-fencing fabric,adapted toengage vertically alongside a fence-post, and having \vire-fence-engaging means, and provided with means for imparting a fencestretchingmovement to said head-bar relatively to the post or other portion of thefence structure.

2. Adevice for stretching wire fencing, consisting of a head piece orbar adapted to range vertically alongside, and against, a post and toacquire a rocking movement relatively thereto, and provided with meansfor engaging the wire fencing, and having a pair of levers securedthereto and extended angularly therefrom for imparting the rockingmovement of said bar.

3. A device of the character described, consisting of a head-bar adaptedto engage vertically relatively to a fence-post, and provided with aseries of angularly-projecting fenceengaging teeth, and means forimparting a stretching movement to said head-bar in relation to afence-post.

4. A stretcher for wire fencing consisting of a head or bar providedwith fabric-engaging means, a transversely-projecting memberconstituting a fulcrum at one side of the bar, and one or morelever-arms for imparting an oscillating movement to the head-bar.

5. A stretcher for Wire fencing consisting of a head or bar providedwith a series of angularly projecting fabric engaging teeth, atransversely-projecting member constituting a fulcrum at one side of thebar, and one or more lever-arms for imparting an oscillating movement tothe l'ieadbar.

6. A stretcher for Wire fencing consisting of a head or bar providedwith fabric-engaging means, a transversely-projecting memberconstituting a fulcrum at one side of the bar, and which is adjustablefor varying its extent of projection from the bar, and one or morelever-arms for imparting an oscillating movement to the head-bar.

7. A stretcher for wire-fencing fabric consisting of a verticalhead-bar, provided with fabric-engaging means, With'upper and lowertransversely-projeeting members for constituting double fulcra for, andat one side of, the bar, and which are independently adjustable to varytheir individual extent of projection sidewise beyond the bar, and upperand lower lever-arms connected to and extending angularly from thelength of the head-bar.

Signed by meatSpringfield, Massachusetts, in presence of. twosubscribing witnesses.

LEON G. BARTLETT.

Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLOWS, G. R. DRISCOLL.

